Progress Report 2008: Families

     

Ontario families on the go

Ontarians lead enriching, active lifestyles and sometimes it’s hard to find the time to connect with family and friends.

Busy Schedules

Your day starts with a look around the house, to make sure you grab everything: a healthy lunch, maybe a bag for the gym and of course the books and papers you need at work or at school.

When you come home, for many families it’s a rush of music lessons, sports practice, homework and dinner. We want our kids to have the opportunity to do their best, even after school is out. That’s why we’re helping to keep schools open after hours in our communities. 

“Bringing life to school gyms, after school is finished for the day, has been a great benefit to my son. This has allowed his basketball team to improve their skills and strengthen their friendships. I believe community use of our school gyms enriches our lives.”

Paul Taylor, Parent, Upper Grand District School Board

Staying Connected

After a busy week, everyone looks forward to the weekend. It gives you a chance to spend time with friends and family, and check up on your parents. If the weather is nice, you try to get outdoors or take it easy in a sunny spot, or catch up on errands and shopping.

“I have really enjoyed my local early years centre. It was a source of fun, support, information (and sanity) while I was at home with my infant son, and now as I head back to work, it's a place that I still hope to be able to visit regularly.  I made many friends and hope to maintain those friendships as our children grow."

Marie Daviau, Parent

Taking Time Out

Weekends and holidays are really important for families trying to find time for themselves. It doesn’t have to be a whole weekend away. Just connecting for dinner each night can make a difference to a busy family. That’s why every day, even just an extra fifteen minutes off the commute means so much.

“I’m thankful for the completion of the 406 Expansion, north of Welland.  I make the drive from Welland to Stoney Creek each day and relieving the bottleneck that occurred at Hwy 20 & the 406 is a big improvement.  Not only do I save time but now I feel safer travelling down the 406.”

Richard Varga, Niagara Resident

We know there’s nothing more precious than time. That’s why we’ll continue to work with you to make life a little less hectic. After all, your kids have their first steps, once. Your son or daughter scores their first goal, once. You build your first snowman as a family together, once. We all spend our time differently, but we can all agree we would love to have more time to spend doing the things that bring our families closer together and that enrich our lives, deepen our friendships and nourish our spirits.